Valentines Day…Doesn’t have to be so OTT! (Some last minute low cost ideas)

Valentines Day is SO commercialised! I am sure the amount of money some people must spend has to be verging on ridiculous. Last year Alex and I decided we were doing something a little different – It was the first weekend I was free since starting my full time job (I was working 6 days a week, still doing one day in retail for the first month) and I remember looking into options for a meal out somewhere we’d never been – a set menu at Sushi Samba (Don’t know why I thought it would be reasonable) was £90pp!!! I hope you were sitting down when you read that!

But it really doesn’t need to be.

I know there are so many mixed views on Valentines Day. This week in the office I’ve heard:

“Why am I only allowed to show someone I love them one day a year?”

“We’re going out earlier in the week so it’s not so expensive”

“We don’t do valentines day. It’ll just be a standard weekend for us.”

I also had a conversation this lunch time about how surely the day you show eachother your love should be your anniversary, making it much more personal? No?

Alex and I don’t go overboard and never really have – I don’t see the point. To me it’s just another excuse to have a laugh and a fun night together 🙂 We do get eachother cards but that’s it – strict no gift policy haha.

So I thought I’d share some of our ideas for Valentines Day, those which don’t have to cost a bomb but are great fun and could definitely make a fab valentines evening:

Have a fun ‘Wii’ evening – No, I’m not speaking scottish hehe. We’ve done this before – If you already own multiplayer or party games for the Wii then that’s a bonus! We love Mario Kart and Just Dance. Get the remotes out, drinks are optional, and get competitive. You could even make it more interesting setting forfeits – Who will be making the breakfast in bed tomorrow morning?

Dinner & Drinks: Is there a bar close by you’ve never tried but looks intriguing? Why not go for just a couple drinks. Try somewhere new to make it interesting, spend time together, chat and have a laugh. Perhaps the pub might have a quiz night? That could be funny – I wonder who has the best general knowledge..hmmm…

If you don’t have store cupboards and a fridge full of food – I definitely don’t – Then pop to a supermarket or local on the way home to pick up the ingredients for a favourite dish and cook together when you get in. This is where I would struggle, such a control freak in the kitchen! But it’s meant to be really good for a relationship!

Couple of Chefs: If you have the house/flat to yourself you could always do a candlelit dinner – How romantic eh? – Choose a favourite dish or something you both really want to try and cook it together (Yes, share responsibility) and cook your wonderful creation. If like me you don’t think you could handle giving up full control why not one of you do the main and one a starter or dessert? Like my little compromise?

Movie Marathon: Do you know your other half’s favourite film(s)? I sure didn’t before the other week and hadn’t watched any of them – The Rush Hour trilogy. If you don’t why not find out…Choose your favourite and get your other half’s favourite film and make a night of it. Popcorn, Froyo, dinner, whatever takes your fancy to accompany. This could obviously work after the previous suggestion too 🙂

Food Festival/Food Market: Thisyear we’re going to Street Feast, the indoor food festival where there will be pop-up food vendors and a few bars. It’s £4 entry and then you can set a limit to how much you want to spend – food is served in smaller portions so you can try out a few different places and I can’t wait to try one of their cocktails – the one I had last year was AWESOME! There are benches and places to sit and chill, chat and enjoy the evening and you can stay as long as you want – It’s not like a restaurant where you often feel like you should give your table up when people are waiting. This may not be the cheapest option, but it’s cheaper than going out for a meal with many places putting their prices up and only offering set menus. I think it’s a lot more fun too!